letter of introduction is presented. Any one receiving a letter of introduction would immediately take steps to show some attention to the individual introduced. The usual thing is to ask him to dinner, if he is a social equal; to offer his services, if he should be a superior; and to ascertain in what way one can be useful to him, if he is an inferior. A personal call must precede all invitations. This is a fixed and rigid rule, the exception being in the case of persons presenting their own letters of introduction, as is usually done. But should the person to whom they are addressed be out, the formal call must follow.
Styles of address at the beginning of a letter.
All ladies, from the Queen downwards, are addressed in beginning a letter as “Madam”; all gentlemen, from the highest to the lowest, as “Sir.” Tradesmen, however, begin “Your Royal Highness,” “Your Grace,” or “Your Ladyship,” in writing to their titled employers. They also address their letters quite differently, as will be seen from the following instructions:—
Addresses of Letters
Her Majesty the Queen.
To His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales.
To Her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales.
This same form is used in addressing communications to all other members of the Royal Family, adding the title where the word “Prince” or “Princess” would be incorrect, as:—
To His Royal Highness the Duke of York.
To Her Royal Highness the Duchess of York.
Address for the envelope—formal and informal.
Below the rank of royalty there is the distinction between letters addressed by persons on an equality with those to whom they write, and by inferiors. I shall call them formal and informal, and range them in separate lines.
| Informal. | Formal. |
| The Duke of—— | To His Grace the Duke of—— |
| The Duchess of—— | To Her Grace the Duchess of—— |
| The Marquis of—— | To the Most Honourable the Marquis of—— |
| The Marchioness of—— | To the Most Honourable the Marchioness of—— |
| The Earl of—— | To the Right Honourable the Earl of—— |
| The Countess of—— | To the Right Honourable the Countess of—— |
| The Viscount—— | The Right Honourable the Viscount—— |
| The Viscountess—— | The Right Honourable the Viscountess—— |
| Lord—— | The Right Honourable Lord—or Baron— |
| Lady—— | The Right Honourable Lady —— or Baroness—— |
Addressing Privy Councillors.
Members of the Privy Council are also addressed as “Right Honourable,” in the same way as Peers. In this case the names of commoners are not followed by the abbreviation “Esq.,” as:—
The Right Honourable James Balfour, M.P.
Ambassadors.
Ambassadors and their wives are addressed as “His Excellency,” “Her Excellency,” the personal and official titles following the word, as:—
To His Excellency the Earl of ——, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to France.
To Her Excellency the Countess of ——.
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